Meet Blythe, a 2019 Dress designer
“My son Behr was born in May, and now that nursing is a real, every-day-many-times-a-day activity for me, it means so much to be able to connect my two worlds (motherhood + Dressember advocacy) in this way.”
Blythe is no stranger to our community. As our CEO/Founder she has led our community and shown us the power of small, consistent, everyday actions. In six years, the Dressember movement she started in college has raised roughly $7.5MM toward the fight to end trafficking. This is her third year designing a dress for Dressember. This year, her design is named after her husband, Jordan. Let’s get to know Blythe, designer of “The Jordan” dress.
Why did you design your dress the way you did?
I designed this dress when I was pregnant with my first child, and knew I would need a nursing-friendly option for Dressember. It was hard to find maternity styles I was excited about, and I anticipated the same to be true for nursing styles (I was right). My son Behr was born in May, and now that nursing is a real, every-day-many-times-a-day activity for me, it means so much to be able to connect my two worlds (motherhood + Dressember advocacy) in this way. I named this design "The Jordan" after my husband. When I first started Dressember in 2009, Jordan and I were dating, and he was so encouraging of my quirky ideas and creativity. We broke up in 2011 (spoiler: we got back together three years later, and then got married a year and a half after that!), I didn't know if I had the steam to continue Dressember. Even though we weren't dating anymore, Jordan encouraged me to keep it going. It's highly likely that Dressember would have fizzled out right then and there without the encouragement I received from this man. He has been (and continues to be) such a vital, behind-the-scenes force of Dressember, and so naming this design after him is my small tribute to this man who has helped bring so much good into the world.
Why does Dressember’s mission of a world without slavery resonate with you?
There are so many levels of freedom; while most people reading this haven't experienced their physical freedom being taken from them, they may have experienced some aspect of their emotional, mental, spiritual, financial freedom in jeopardy. Physical freedom is crucial, and it's just the beginning of the journey toward full autonomy. I believe freedom on all levels is an inherent human right and something we should all strive for. It is our very journey as human beings toward becoming the best, truest version of ourselves.
What is something you’re proud of right now?
My latest "project" is a tiny human named Behr! But other projects include several for Dressember, including the 2019 Dress and Tie Collection, the 2019 campaign, and a few secret projects coming in 2020. I'm really proud of this collection-- it's exciting to see this mix of incredible men and women come together and use their creativity to further our mission.
Anything else you’d like to share with us?
I love this quote by Tina Fey: “Say yes and you'll figure it out afterwards.” I also have been inspired by the song "You Say" by Lauren Daigle.
Connect with Blythe
You can connect with Blythe and follow her motherhood journey on instagram at @blythehill, and on twitter at @blitheblythe.
Sketch by Samantha Pilon